One major reason parents choose to homeschool their kids is to break free from the rigid structure of conventional schools for a richer learning experience, or one that’s more suited to their needs and beliefs. Because of this, independent or “indie” homeschooling has become appealing for many in addressing the desire to freestyle their way through home education. Indie homeschooling is essentially homeschooling without a provider, and taking care not just of your child’s curriculum and learning, but also of the record-keeping, scheduling the required validation tests with DepEd, and facilitating all the other requirements to ensure your child’s education is credible and you won’t encounter any problems come the time he/she is off to college or if you decide to send him/her to conventional school.

But while it’s easy to think that being with a provider just stifles your freedom to design your child’s education, it is crucial to note the value of having an ally who takes charge of your homeschooling’s legal and administrative aspects. Newsflash: Homeschooling isn’t just about customized activities, experiential learning, and life immersion. If it’s real education you’re after and if you really want to focus on what matters—that is, the actual educating of your child—then you have to ensure that the foundation of your child’s homeschooling is properly in place. Accreditation and licensing play a crucial part in this. 

Homeschooling is far from a walk in the park, and an accredited homeschool provider will make sure that you not only cross that park, but that you make it to the finish line. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t take accreditation and licensing matters lightly in your homeschooling:

1. Proven and tested standards. Accreditation distinguishes whether your homeschooling can keep up with already established academic standards, and a DepEd-accredited homeschool provider lays down the foundation and metrics for you. The provider takes the guesswork out of the equation, so you can be sure that you’re on the right track, and that the direction and quality of your homeschooling is at par with, or maybe even better than, prestigious brick-and-mortar schools. 

2. Consistency. Accreditation is not a one-time big-time test. It gets reviewed periodically to ensure that the provider is maintaining its good track record and is living up to national, and even international, standards, for those who have foreign accreditation. Homeschool Global (formerly TMA Homeschool), the pioneering home education provider accredited by the Philippine Department of Education, understands the importance of top-notch accreditation in any child’s education, and maintains solid partnerships with Victory Christian International School in the Philippines and Wellspring Christian Family Schools in the US. HG also provides trainings that equip parents to become the best educators for their children, anchored on national and international teaching standards.

3. More time for what really matters. Homeschooling involves a lot of tasks, including keeping track of all your programs and transcripts. But with an accredited HEP, you don’t need to worry about any of that at all. They will do all the record-keeping and transcript generation so you can channel all your energy into facilitating your child’s learning. It’s just like being in conventional school, where you don’t have to worry about paperwork!

4. Easy transition to college or conventional schools. One day, your child is going to college, or maybe will move to regular school before that time. You’d want that transition to be as seamless as possible, which is why an accredited diploma and complete transcript are very important. But if you do opt for independent homeschooling, you can schedule your child’s Philippine Educational Placement Test at DepEd to make the transition possible (check out the guidelines on the Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands website).

5. More opportunities for your child. With a solid accreditation in place for your homeschooler, not only will you not have to worry about the legalities of your child’s homeschooling, but it will also be easier for your child to access opportunities in various areas of interest, much more if the provider is accredited abroad. This is very beneficial if your family has plans of pursuing international education for your child. Does your child have the makings of a sports legend? A US scholarship is totally possible. And with an accredited home education provider working with you hand-in-hand, you would know the best steps to move forward.

Accreditation not only provides a backbone for your child’s education, but also opens up a lot more doors for your child. And at the end of the day, that’s what we all want—for our children to be able to pursue their passion, without anything holding them back.